The present technique relates generally to the field of lighting systems and, more particularly, to heat control in lamps having integral electronics. Specifically, a lamp is provided with a heat distribution mechanism, which may comprise a thermal shield, a heat pipe, a heat sink, an air-moving device, and thermally conductive members.
Lighting companies have begun to develop integral electronics lamps in response to emerging market needs and trends. These integral electronics lamps generally comprise a light source and a plurality of integral electronics, such as MOSFETs, rectifiers, magnetics, and capacitors. Both the light source and the various electronics generate heat, which can exceed the component's temperature limits and damage the integral electronics lamp. In many of these integral electronics lamps, the light source and the integral electronics are disposed in a fixture, which further restricts airflow and reduces heat transfer away from the electronics. Existing integral electronics lamps are often rated at below 25 watts and, consequently, do not require advanced thermal control techniques. However, high wattage integral electronics lamps, i.e., greater than 30 watts, are an emerging market trend in which thermal management is a major hurdle. Various other lamps and lighting systems also suffer from heat control problems, such as those described above.
Accordingly, a technique is needed to address one or more of the foregoing problems in lighting systems, such as integral electronics lamps.